Tancredo Drops White House Bid, Endorses Romney
EmailABC News’ Z. Byron Wolf Reports: Colorado Congressman and anti-illegal immigration crusader Tom Tancredo ended his bid for the GOP presidential nomination at a press conference in Des Moines, Iowa Thursday, after months of low poll numbers.
At the press conference, Tancredo said he would throw his support behind former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.
Tancredo had often attacked Romney on the campaign trail for being soft on amnesty. But Romney had toughened his position in recent months.
Tancredo’s campaign sent supporters an e-mail message, in which the Congressman says he feels he successfully represented anti-illegal immigration sentiments and left his mark on the race — pointing out that even Hillary Clinton was put "through hoops."
Tancredo said he chose to drop out now to make sure the most viable Republican wins the race.
"The presidential campaign has come down to less than a handful of viable candidates. Unfortunately several of them have abysmal records on immigration and can’t be trusted to do what is needed to preserve this country if they’re elected," Tancredo’s message said.
"My fear is that if I were to stay in this race my votes could be the factor in handing victory to a pro-amnesty politician. Friends, we have done too much, come too far and the stakes are too high to play that hand. And so I am ending my presidential campaign," he added.
At the same time, he did not mention Romney in the message to supporters.
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Tancredo drops out 2 weeks before the primaries and then endorses Romney. How convenient for Romney!
Posted by: Chuck | December 20, 2007, 4:42 pm 4:42 pm
This is good news for Romney and the Republican party, and ultimately for the Nation. Romney is clearly the best choice for President.
Posted by: ComeOn | December 20, 2007, 4:50 pm 4:50 pm
Now we just need Duncan Hunter to do the same! GO MITT!
Posted by: Jeremy | December 20, 2007, 4:57 pm 4:57 pm
Mitt Romney will be the GOP nominee and the 45th President of the USA.
All the candidates for the Dems are Junior 1-term Senators except for Hillary Rotten Clinton who is just starting her 2nd term. The Dems candidates are also pretty far to the left for most Americans. Just two reasons why no Dems take the White House in 2008.
America is the largest enterprise in the world and Mitt Romney is the only candidate from either party that is qualified to run this enterprise.
If Americans liked Ronald Reagan they are going to love Mitt Romney…………best candidate hands down!
Posted by: Allen Ridge | December 20, 2007, 5:40 pm 5:40 pm
I could not agree more. Romney is by far the best man for the job. He has made a life out of taking failing business and organizations and turning them around so they reach their potential. This is exactly what Washington needs and Romney is the one to do it.
Posted by: Lee | December 20, 2007, 5:55 pm 5:55 pm
Tancredo played a useful role in the campaign by bringing the undeclared war with mexico to the attention of millions. The mexican government provides support and encouragement to the 10,000 daily invaders of our country, it does nothing to stop the attacks on our Boarder Patrol agents from their side of the boarder, and it is equally unhelpful in stopping the flow of drugs from the cartels. These acts of war must be addressed by the full power of the US.
Tancredo highlighted that fact that America needs a president that will defend the boarders, instead of caving to the profit interests of corporations – at the cost of better wages for American citizens.
Good job, Tancredo!
Posted by: ALEX H. | December 20, 2007, 5:56 pm 5:56 pm
Tancredo announcement to drop his presidential bid is a blow to the “chip on the shoulder” and “my truck is bigger than your truck” crowd. Maybe common sense, civility, and decency are options now. I wonder if Tancredo knows that Mitt Romney’s father was born in Chihuahua, Mexico and a Mexican by birth or Romney’s Great Grandfather took sanctuary in Mexico?
Posted by: threeriverscrossing | December 20, 2007, 6:39 pm 6:39 pm
MAybe Mitt will make Tancredo VP? I can only hope. We need to take back America and Mitt Romney is the man to do it!!!
Posted by: Dennis | December 20, 2007, 6:42 pm 6:42 pm
Tom, You were my candidate; therefore, I am sorry that you have withdrawn. Yet you gave a great service to this nation in forcing the candidates to state their positions on the unarmed, illegal invasion of our country. Thank you for bringing the greatest issue facing the future of our country to the forefront. And thank you for endorsing another candidate. The illegal alien invasion is my number one issue, so I will get behind Governor Romney now. It is strange for me to type this, becaue I am a lifetime Democrat. Yet first and foremost, I love America and I will not blindly follow a party. Hope he gets the nomination and you are tapped as the VP.
Posted by: savethemiddleclass | December 20, 2007, 7:04 pm 7:04 pm
I’m glad that Tancredo dropped out. He is a jerk, his policies on inmigration are stupid. We are not illegal alients. Like Kucinich said we are Undocumented not Illegal.
Posted by: Priscilla Barquet | December 20, 2007, 7:21 pm 7:21 pm
Undocumented workers are criminals and therefor are illegal. So the term illegal aliens is correct, Thank you Tom for your Service!!
Posted by: Dennis | December 20, 2007, 7:32 pm 7:32 pm
Yes, Mitt will protect us from the terrorist by continuing the Bush policy of torture, thereby ignoring international law. He will keep the detainees it gitmo for another 6 years without the right of haebas corpus, the right to challange the government’s assertions that they are all terrorists. We must continue the pre-emptive war strategy and occupy more countries.
And he protect us by continuing to the Bush policy of sending the feds to arrest the rest of all those sick people who upon the advise of their doctors obtain legal prescriptions for marijuana to relieve their pain and suffering. Yes, we must continue to ignore State Rights and individual Freedoms and Liberty on this issue, we be protected from those sick people and not allow them to take a drug that helps them.
We must have another pro-war Christian, especially won with $250 million to buy this election. I know his Mormon Jesus would support all the above, right?
Posted by: Greg | December 20, 2007, 7:36 pm 7:36 pm
The fact that he has flipped flop on nearly every issue, based upon what office his is running for, is by no means any reason why we shouldn’t trust him. I mean, the idea that one should stand on their record is no longer necessary in today’s world, right?
Posted by: Greg | December 20, 2007, 7:46 pm 7:46 pm
My post above is referring to Mitt, it is a shame that he supports Mitt.
Posted by: Greg | December 20, 2007, 7:48 pm 7:48 pm
It is illegal to sneak across the border and come into the United States without proper documentation. If you fall into that category, you are not an undocumented worker. You are an ILLEGAL ALIEN who has broken our laws and should be deported.That one comment by Kucinich sealed his fate with me; I will not vote for him under any conditions.
Posted by: savethemiddleclass | December 20, 2007, 9:12 pm 9:12 pm
Lets not forget, congress just passed that massive budget, BUT CUT FUNDS for the fence. AFTER the American people spkoe, they still went ahead and cut funds, we need to remember the dems did that
Posted by: plopsdad | December 20, 2007, 9:17 pm 9:17 pm
Romney is tough on immigration…good. As I move around this country I see small towns being devoured and left nothing like they were. For example I went to visit my old hometown in CA and I couldn’t even recognize it. Most of the downtown mom and pop store are gone and in their place is taquerias and carne stores. I went to the walmart there where I heard almost every customer speaking spanish, and even billboards were in spanish! Hello, did I just arrive in Mexico? This is happening on a daily basis. I have nothing against Mexicans, I just want my country the way it was and they need to start being respectful. If I went to another country and started flaunting the american flag in their face, I think they’d be pretty angry. ThankyouTom for endorsing the candidate who’s gonna be tough on illegals
Posted by: rigbyluv | December 20, 2007, 11:37 pm 11:37 pm
Tancredo was a great Presidential candidate.I’m sure Mitt Romney will add Toms’dream of this nation to his as he seek the nomination.
Posted by: kmjjp | December 21, 2007, 1:46 am 1:46 am
Greg, Only Dems “flip-flop” on issues. Republicans become “more educated and change positions”…………….. depending on who they are speaking to that day.
Posted by: dk | December 21, 2007, 2:28 am 2:28 am
Don’t ever use the words “educated” and “Republican” in the same sentence.
Posted by: US Citizen | December 21, 2007, 8:06 am 8:06 am
My guess is Tancredo never spent much time in MA, because we’ve got about as many illegal aliens in this state as snow on the ground!!!! There are over 200,000 illegal brazilians alone in MA. Romney will be lucky to win his own state! Most people in MA are very aware of his “look good”, “say little” and “do nothing” approach to politics. We are the only state in the nation that allows gay marriage and the ground work for that was developed under the Romney administration. He’s a second generation, career, lying politician, saying he SAW his father marching with Martin Luther King. That’s a great way to go after the minority vote.. IF IT HAD ACTUALLY HAPPENED!!! When he was caught in that lie, his response was Clintonian.. “well… depends on the definition of “saw”. I appreciate Tancredo for his stance on illegal immigration and making it a hot topic on the campaign trail, but his choice of endorsements proves that he lacked the good judgement required to be president.
Posted by: Uniblogger | December 21, 2007, 8:44 am 8:44 am
So now it turns out that Tancredo is just another Republican fraud. His only issue has been illegal immigration so if he wasn`t a fraud he would support Duncan Hunter, not the guy enabling illegal immigrants by hiring them to mow his lawn. Whatever. Those of us sincere in stopping Mitt`s plan for a path to citizenship for the illegals are not fooled and will continue the fight.
Posted by: Luke | December 21, 2007, 9:59 am 9:59 am
The next president of the United States will be…courtesy of Presidental Directive 51…G. W. Bush. He’ll use the upcoming economic collapse to invoke it. So relax about all this candidate stuff, there won’t even be an election.
Posted by: Dave | December 21, 2007, 11:34 am 11:34 am
Hey Tom, now that you aren’t busy, call me, I think you’re smokin!!!!
Posted by: all man no sissy here | December 21, 2007, 11:44 am 11:44 am
Why would Tancredo support someone who has a similar immigration policy, like Hunter? It makes more sense, if your planning on running for a Senate seat, to cast you support for someone that can help you later on, someone who is leading in the polls and has MONEY.
It’s politics, SOS – Same Old ####.
Now, if your tired of flip-flopping politicians and others who can’t be trusted, take a look at Ron Paul’s 20 year track record of integrity, never voted to raise taxes, never voted to increase his congressional pay, never voted for an unbalanced budget, a veteran, and the champion of the Constitution. A true patriot, just what this country needs.
Posted by: Greg | December 21, 2007, 1:48 pm 1:48 pm